Many people are finding that their paychecks aren't getting them as far as they used to. The cost of groceries is constantly rising, gas prices are creeping back up, and services like cable and wireless seem to increase every with every bill. To keep up with it all, many people opt to put in more hours at work or find a second job. However, if you're not comfortable with sacrificing your free time there are other ways to keep up with the bills.
There are many hobbies that can earn you extra income and will help you learn new skills in the process. This article will overview some income-driving hobbies for everyone and show you how to monetize them to help pay the bills.

Sell your photography

Photography is an amazing skill to learn. Once you get past the basics of understanding shutter speed and aperture, you'll find you can take all different types of photos. Many people associate photography with being very expensive, and while it certainly can be, advancements in the technology have made it rather affordable to get started.
Once you've learned the ins and outs of your camera, there are a few ways to earn money from photography. If you have an eye for detail and setting things up, you could try selling stock photography online or taking product photography for local crafters.
If you're more of a "people" person, then portraits might be more of a rewarding hobby for you. Graduation photos and family portraits are both good ways to learn the basics. Eventually you could try out being a second shooter at a wedding; meaning you work with a professional wedding photographer to help them get more shots of the wedding and reception. As you improve and build experience, you can increase your prices.

Build things people will love

When I was younger my father worked full-time and when he came home the first thing he did was head outside to start working on whatever building project he had going on. Sheds, picnic tables, tree houses... there's no end to the types of things you can build in your backyard.
Getting money for your hard work is easy in the age of the internet. Most important, though, is that you're building things people will love. Pinterest is packed with ideas and YouTube full of tutorials when it comes to inspiration and learning. Once you've completed your project you can put in on your local Craigslist, a Facebook group, or even in your front lawn with a For Sale sign.

Blogging and copyediting

Would you be the first one to notice if there was a typo in this article? Do you find yourself occasionally thinking, "That would be a really good topic to write about"? Blogging and digital copyediting are two growing markets with a lot of opportunity for those of us with a passion for the written word.
To work with existing businesses there are several websites that allow you to market your services online. Pick a topic that you're interested in or one you're already an expert at, and reach out to companies in that industry.
If you're more of the DIY type, make your own blog with the help of a site like WordPress. Once you build a readership, you can monetize with ads and sponsors.

Keeping up with household expenses can be a daunting task. Service providers are making it easier than ever to set up auto-pay features for their products. Furthermore, playing with credit cards makes it seem like you hardly ever have to look at your account balances. Unfortunately, that can make it easy to go over your allotted budget each month. That’s where the home budget app comes in.

In recent years, a growing number of budgeting apps have hit the app stores. You could scroll for hours through all of the various apps, comparing their needs. Fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you.

Some apps are geared towards families, where others are designed for a single user. Some sync with bank accounts and others depend on your own input to keep track of your expenses. In this article, we’re going to break down some of the best budgeting apps for keeping up with your household and living expenses.

HomeBudget

If you’re hoping to split expenses and plan your budget with your spouse, family, or roommates,HomeBudgetis a good place to start. With HomeBudget you can assign one person to be the payee, making it easy to determine who pays certain bills.

You and your family members can also assign expenses and attach images of your receipts to see who paid which bill.

At the end of the month, you can view reports that will tell you if you stayed under budget. You can then compare the month’s budget to the previous six months and decide if you need to increase your budget or try to cut some expenses.

YNAB: You Need A Budget

If you’re new to budgeting or are having trouble paying off debt,YNABis the budgeting tool you need. Aside from keeping track of your spending, YNAB is also a learning resource. Signing up gives you access to budgeting tips and information that you may not be familiar with.

YNAB links up with your bank accounts to tell you just how much you need to save each month in order to keep up with everyday expenses like mortgage payments and utilities, and get out of debt.

Mint

Mintis designed to be your one-stop shop for all things financial. It combines your bills, bank accounts, student loans, credit cards, and more all in one place.

Mint enables you to track your spending, plan a budget, and gain access to resources like free monthly credit scores.

Unsplurge

Having an organized budget is a reward of its own. But, if you need even more of an incentive,Unsplurgeis here to help. With Unsplurge, you can focus on saving up for a goal. You’ll get updates when you save enough to “splurge” on your goal.

It’s a great tool for people who like to see their progress and feel the sense of accomplishment when they meet their objective.

Now pick the app that sounds right for your needs and get started with saving money and managing your household budget today.